


Flipping the Script

by Texan_Red_Rose



Series: By Moonlight AU [4]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/F, Family Fluff, Newborn Children, One Big Happy Family, Original Child Character(s) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-15 11:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17527511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texan_Red_Rose/pseuds/Texan_Red_Rose
Summary: Yang thought she knew what to expect from her wife's pregnancy but Winter's werewolf side had one more surprise for her. It's worth it, though, to welcome the newest additions to their growing family into the world.





	Flipping the Script

**Author's Note:**

> Brought to you by Akito!

Growing up surrounded by werewolves exposed Yang to many of the specific… eccentricities of their culture. Due to their longevity- though nowhere near the range of dragons- the packs had different milestones to denote coming of age, like taking human form for the first time. A mastery and balance of the duality in their nature, which usually came much later in life, served as another. Changing at will, yet another.

As she walked through the castle hallways, her children following along behind her in their human forms the dragon in her grew more restless. Zajah opted to shift about six months after the official ceremony, more because she found her siblings’ hair to be far too interesting for her to _not_ have herself. It lead to a… bit of an interesting day; according to her Dad, the jet black hair and fiery red eyes were exactly like Raven’s, the mother Yang never knew, one of the last remaining dragons to roam Remnant. Sometimes, in the back of her mind, she wondered if Zajah inherited anything else from her mysterious grandmother but she tried to put it from her mind.

They played around her as she moved, the same game of tag that they enjoyed in their other forms made all the more difficult- or, well, confined- due to their lack of wings at present. Weiss and Blake, for all their comparably more reserved personalities and children, would find the display amusing, even if they did worry more than they had to for the little ones’ safety. Dragons, even in their altered forms, were resilient, and her children inherited that. She really couldn’t be prouder.

She hoped they inherited her proclivity towards socializing as well; humans and werewolves were social creatures by nature, the latter moreso than the former, but the Schnees seemed… antithetical to both, her wife vastly preferring the company of her pack only rather than others. Weiss’ children seemed to share that, remaining on the quieter and more reserved side- until the twins started messing with each other, anyway- though her youngest broke the mold a little bit in that respect. Thus far, the wolfdragons seemed sociable, interacting with strangers when possible while still preferring those they knew, so she took that as a good sign.

And a voice in the back of her head seemed insistent that it was a boon she shouldn’t take for granted, which worried her.

“Momma?” Zach paused in the game long enough to tug at her hand. “Where’s Mom?”

“She’s resting, buddy,” she replied, smiling softly and squeezing his hand. “But we’re going to see her.”

“Why can’t we always see her?” A frown tugged at his lips and it quite nearly broke her heart.

“You know why, Zach. Mom’s getting ready to bring your siblings into the world. That means she needs to rest.”

It took the lot of them by surprise. Over the years, Yang and her wife had… enjoyed themselves quite thoroughly when they could sneak away, leaving their children with their Aunts for a time. But a couple months ago, Winter came back from an unannounced trip into the forest with a dead bear slung across her shoulders and completely incapable of articulating _why_ she felt the need to hunt the thing down by herself- without even shifting, no less. Luckily, this constituted another milestone Yang recognized; a pregnant werewolf would often hunt anything in the immediate area to both stock up on food and for the more pressing need of removing any threats.

Again, she could feel herself becoming restless, in the way she had whenever separated from her eggs before they hatched. Her instincts were desperately trying to pull her a specific way, hence taking their kids to visit the back room that had become their official living quarters. In the past month, they’d moved the kids to elsewhere in the castle so Yang could watch over them while Winter prepared the room as a birthing den. Sometimes, werewolves stayed relatively close to the pack, largely depending on the safety in the wider area.

Other times…

“Mom?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we play with them when they’re born?” Zise hopped along beside her, _definitely_ too excited for her own good as her eyes quite nearly shifted color. Whenever her emotions got the better of her, she ran the risk of reverting to her wolfdragon form; a struggle Yang remembered from her own youth.

“Not for a little while; they’ll be too small,” she replied, chuckling. “Trust me. Soon enough, you’ll all get to play, okay?” As they neared the back room, Yang stopped short while her brows furrowed. “Kids, wait here.”

“But-”

“Zephyr.” Her voice held a warning they intrinsically understood, the deep growl of her draconic heritage coming to the fore. Not because of the question, though.

Something was wrong- perhaps not in the worst possible way, but certainly enough to cause more than a bit of panic to flare in her chest. Winter wasn’t just her wife; they were _mates_ as well, and that meant she could read further into things, feel them even over great distances. Without waiting for acquiescence of her children, Yang shifted forms, winding her way through the corridors with her wings tucked in tight to her body and bursting through the heavy doors with hardly any effort. Once in the space, she breathed in deeply, catching her wife’s scent lingering- stronger in some places, weaker in others- but far too faint to be a good sign.

Winter was gone.

Muttering a curse beneath her breath, she turned and slipped back to where she’d left the kids, shifting back to her human form. “Follow me, quickly.”

They instantly shifted their own forms, understanding they wouldn’t be capable of keeping up with her otherwise, and they scrambled after her as she sprinted down the hall, their claws gouging into the stone. Perhaps Weiss might lecture her on it later but she couldn’t be pressed to care. She had _far_ more pressing concerns.

As luck would have it, she came across both reigning Queens at the same time in the main hall, the two likely on their way to some manner of meeting with their eldest in tow, the others likely left to their own devices for the moment.

“Yang, what are you-” Weiss shook her head, likely recognizing the look on her face. “Nevermind; what do you need?”

“Watch them.” She knelt down, running a hand through the short fringe of hair atop Zephyr’s head. The first to hatch, she often acted as the eldest of the clutch and the others would follow her lead for the most part; if she remained calm, they likely would, too. “I have to find Winter.”

“Did she leave?” Blake immediately put a hand on her wife’s shoulder, the shock of hearing about her sister’s disappearance robbing her of words momentarily.

“Yeah, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing; it happens, sometimes.” She cast a gaze around, catching a few new faces among the staff or visiting from other kingdoms. “Too many people- she probably went to find a new den.”

“But- but- where would she _go_ ?” Weiss’ expression fell, obviously worried for her sister’s well being. Being pregnant was one thing but being a pregnant _werewolf_ firmly put Winter’s experience about as far from her sister’s understanding as possible and the woman didn’t like being unable to comprehend and anticipate the situation at hand.

“I have an idea.” With a sigh, she got to her feet. “Have the guards watch the forest; if they see flame, I’ve found her and she’s okay.”

“And what if you need assistance?”

Some part of her wanted to say that, if _she_ needed assistance, they were far worse off, but their combined concern was making the wolfdragons restless. That _wouldn’t_ be ideal with both parents away. “Then they’ll see me flying.”

“Good luck, Yang.”

“And bring my sister back.”

“I will.” Despite the anxiety preying on her mind, she managed a smirk. “With some new additions for the pack.” Then she shifted- just a little, just for the kids’ benefit- and spoke in the language they would best understand. _“Stay with your Aunts. Mom and I will be back soon with the little ones. Be good, please.”_

 _“Yes, Momma,”_ they replied, though she could hear the soft whines they tried to hold back.

At a word from Weiss, the guards stationed at the tall doors leading out of the castle began heaving them open, which would give her the easiest egress. Shifting back to her draconic form, Yang lowered her head enough to nuzzle her children before spreading her wings wide and jumping up, flying out of the castle and rising into the sky. She banked towards the forest, allowing the invisible pull she felt in the pit of her gut to guide her.

Instantly, she started for the clearing- it held significant importance to Winter and would likely be the first place she’d go, but even that would be too familiar and open for a suitable den. When werewolves felt the need to leave their pack for birthing, they often found somewhere new, somewhere lacking any scent from a potential predator, even fellow packmates. Driven by the instinctual need to protect their offspring- who would be born blind like wolves- they would seek out a place where they could easily obfuscate their scent and hide.

Finding that place in a forest, however, would be easier for Winter than for Yang. She didn’t possess that same need, so while she’d _seen_ it, she could really only guess once she got to the clearing. Thankfully, she could still smell her wife’s scent, though the faintness of it indicated she hadn’t lingered there long.

Folding in her wings, she began to run, considerably faster on all fours than most dragons her age _would_ be- or so she’d heard. Supposedly, after learning to fly, most became rather content with their aerial superiority and rarely walked on the ground, but years of running through the forests of Vale had made her far less inclined to take to the air.

One day, perhaps, she’d seek out the fabled gateway to the dragonlands and find out for herself, but that wouldn’t be for a _long_ while yet.

Yang followed the trail to the river, then upstream a bit and across a field, through a dense section of the forest where few dared tread and much further than she’d explored the woods years ago when trying to hunt the newly turned werewolf. Only her sense of direction prevented her from becoming entirely lost, retaining a vague idea of which way to go to get back to the castle if she needed to start again. She could still catch faint whiffs of her wife’s scent, so she _had_ to be on the right track.

Then, she caught sight of a… well… the shattered trunk of a tree that had nearly been ripped from the ground, drag marks nearby indicated it was no act of nature or the work of an axe that caused it. Yang paused, trying to catch her breath while creeping along at a much slower pace. If she ran up on the den, she could very well provoke an intense reaction, and she couldn’t be _certain_ it would be a positive one.

The drag marks led into a small valley that contained a weaker tributary of the river. On the far bank, she could see where several other trees were torn down to construct a den, one with a large enough mouth that even her draconic form could fit through with ease.

That… was _probably_ a good sign but she approached with caution regardless.

_“Sundrop?”_

_“It’s me,”_ she said, poking just her head into the den.

Near the back, she could see Winter lying on her side with dirt and mud clinging to her fur. The werewolf lifted her head enough to look over and whine softly before laying back down. _“I shouldn’t have run off-"_

 _“You had to leave. It’s okay.”_ Carefully, she slithered into the den, curling around her wife. Aside from a _very_ pregnant belly, her wife didn’t look any worse for wear, which helped calm the worries that lingered at the back of her mind. _“I understand this is something you had to do. So they’d be safe.”_

 _“Will they? Be safe out here?”_ She tried to right herself but a claw on her shoulder gently pushed her back down. _“I can’t defend them.”_

 _“That’s why I’m here.”_ Pushing her nose into the werewolf’s fur, she inhaled, picking up on the distress her wife was reluctant to articulate. _“When was the last time you ate?”_

 _“Before I left the castle.”_ Winter whined low, lifting her head to rub up against the underside of her jaw. _“There’s a bear to the east.”_

 _“You’re craving bear a lot recently. I’m not sure what that means.”_ Yang chuckled, low and content, curling her tail briefly around the werewolf’s form as a means of conveying the hug she wouldn’t dare give at present. _“I’ll go get it and let the others know we’re safe. I won’t be gone long.”_

As she started to move away, Winter snapped her head to the side and bit into one of her forearms- not nearly hard enough to even scratch a scale, of course, but it certainly caught her attention-  and pinned her ears back. In that moment, she could see her wife struggling with a myriad of emotions and settled herself back down, firmly against the werewolf, as a silent means of assuring her that she _would_ return. Winter wouldn’t have to go through this alone.

_“I love you, Sundrop.”_

_“I love you too, Snowdrift.”_ Although she didn’t _typically_ do it, Yang understood that at the moment her wife was more wolf than woman, so licking at her face would be _far_ more appreciated now than it would be otherwise. _“I’ll be back soon.”_

When Winter release her- with a lick to the ‘wound’ as a means of soothing it- she moved back to the mouth of the den, reared onto her back legs, and let loose a blast of fire into the air, the column arcing high and sending the birds and other creatures of the forest around them scurrying away. Perhaps most had forgotten the ferocity of dragons but those with more instinct than sense surely hadn’t; their den wouldn’t be harrassed by anything living in the forest.

Dropping back down, she turned to the east and ran again, weaving her way between the trees on the trail of that bear.

* * *

 

The days in the den passed slowly.

Winter fretted silently- as she usually did- pacing when she had the strength and gnashing her teeth when she didn’t. Part of her- the human part, the woman who still carried a bit of guilt over being unable to save her sister’s life- wanted to leave the den and return to the castle, frustrated at not being able to see their children, even with a litter on the way. The other half- the wolf part, the beast that had blood memories reached back centuries- demanded she stay out here in the forest, far away from humans and their unknowable motives. Ultimately, one side had more experience with werewolf pregnancies, and that’s the half that ruled for the moment.

For her part, Yang played it by ear. She pressed close and provided as much comfort as she could when allowed, hunted whenever hunger or boredom struck, and retreated to just outside the den when her presence grated on her wife’s nerves, sending periodic bursts of flame curling high above the trees. Though it pained her to leave when she had to, she understood her love wasn’t reacting to _her_ presence, specifically. Even as a dragon, she still smelled a bit like a human.

Then came a night when tension began to build in lupine shoulders and frustration coaxed rolling growls from her throat.

 _“Sundrop.”_ Almost immediately, she moved to her wife’s side, carefully extending a wing curl around her as a silent means of indicating Winter had her full attention. _“I think it’s time.”_

 _“Okay. I’ll go find us some food. Stock up a bit.”_ Yang lightly laid her chin atop her head as it nuzzled into her chest, probably not as comforting as it would be if she had fur instead of scales but it seemed to reduce the agitation in her posture. _“Bear and fish, yeah?”_

_“Whatever you find, it doesn’t matter. Just hurry back, please.”_

_“I will, Snowdrift.”_ Again, she used her tongue to clean her wife’s face, hoping it would be enough for the moment. _“I love you.”_

 _“I love you, too.”_ A slight uptick in her growling. _“Even if I’m going to hate you for the next few hours. This is_ nothing _like when you laid your eggs.”_

She winced. _“Yeah, uh, I might’ve forgotten to mention that.”_

_“Get back soon and I’ll consider forgiving you.”_

With a brief nuzzle, she exited the den, shooting off another burst of flame up before setting about her task. Although they’d both likely be able to leave the den by sunup, Yang figured she’d best stock up a bit on food rather than assume her wife would want to be parted from their children for the first day or two. Winter certainly hadn’t been inclined to leave the back room when their clutch hatched and she’d likely be of a similar mind now.

The process of gathering food didn’t take much time- she’d located a few bear dens shortly after finding Winter, and pushed even further north, to spread out the impact just a bit- and she returned with two carcasses and a claw full of various fish. For whatever reason, other sources of meat didn’t appeal to Winter at present, though she didn’t really mind. A little variety in their diets certainly didn’t count as a bad thing.

Depositing their future meals just outside the den’s mouth, she poked her head inside to find her wife lying on her side, eyes shut tight and breathing labored.

_“I’m back.”_

_“Good.”_ Briefly, Winter opened one eye. _“Stay out there for a while.”_

_“You know I’ll come inside in a heartbeat if you need me, right?”_

_“You’d better.”_ Her eye closed, a growl rumbling through her chest. _“This is agony. If anything goes wrong-”_

 _“You have my magic,”_ she said, just barely resisting the urge to enter the den. Winter might not snap at her for the invasion but she wouldn’t do to exacerbate the werewolf’s anxieties. _“Nothing will go wrong. I’m right out here.”_

Withdrawing her head, Yang curled up outside of the den and waited, listening to the sounds that came from within. It frustrated her a good deal, of course, being unable to _see_ her wife and the process drug out much longer than when she’d laid her eggs. When dawn broke, though, she was beckoned inside, dragging a bear to offer to new mother.

Winter looked positively exhausted- and for good reason. Compared to pure werewolves, the litter of three were slightly bigger, with only the… well, the runt being close to the size of a healthy pup. Much like their clutch siblings, the litter had more than a few traits inherited from both parents, and Yang marvelled at every similarity and difference.

The largest of the triplets had the most scales, a large swath running along her underbelly from chin to the base of her tail and alongside the inside of each leg with little patches of them along the crown of her head, a few under her eyes, along her shoulder blades, and the points of her hips, with light yellow fur everywhere else. The middle one looked most lupine with pure white fur just like Winter’s, a small patch of yellow scales on her belly and dragon talons for forepaws. She also had a… well, a line of scales across her brow, which made her expression all the more noticeable as she searched blindly for her first meal. Lightly, Yang nosed the pup closer to Winter’s belly, receiving a soft yelp as her daughter turned her head to investigate what was pushing her before becoming distracted by the prospect of milk.

Then, Yang’s eyes landed on the runt. Unlike her sisters, she had two little nubs at the top of her head that might one day grow into a proper set of horns like hers and had scales running all along her back, a sort of burnished gold color that offset her white fur a bit more than her siblings’. She also had scales encircling her tail just before the tuft of hair at the tip, much like hers as opposed to a werewolf’s tail. Though smaller than her sisters, the runt had the most prominent fangs peeking out from her lip already, and she winced while helping the littlest one find her first meal.

Winter hissed, tensing briefly before relaxing. _“That’s two. I thought-”_

 _“She’s here.”_ Going back to the largest of the litter, she helped her daughter crawl up next to her sisters. Although the only one to give her a bit of resistance, she acquiesced as soon as she realized when Yang was trying to steer her towards. _“They’re beautiful.”_

 _“I haven’t the chance to see them properly.”_ Winter started pushing herself up, careful not to disturb their feeding, and she used her tail as a means of propping her wife up comfortably. _“Sundrop…”_

 _“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”_ Looping her coils around them protectively, Yang set her head down beside her wife’s, looking down at the newest additions to their family with tears stinging at her eyes. _“Which names are we going to pick? I know we threw a few out there when we didn’t know how big the litter would be but…”_

 _“Hmmm.”_ Winter tilted her head to the side. _“I think we agreed on Allura for the firstborn. She’s the largest- she’s going to be the stubborn one.”_

 _“Yeah, I’m picking up on that.”_ Leaning over, she lightly nosed the nursing… wolfdragon? Dragonwolf? They _had_ to figure out a better name for their children collectively. _“Hear that, Allura?”_

The pup detached long enough to push back against her for a moment, making a little sound- not the weak roaring whine of her siblings but a sound more like that of a newborn werewolf.

_“I think she likes it.”_

_“Good,”_ her wife said, wincing slightly. _“Not so hard.”_

_“Which one?”_

_“The little one.”_ Her lips curled into a wolfish grin. _“She’s going to be a handful.”_

 _“Well, in that case, how about Ashe?”_ Yang turned her head, grateful her serpentine body made it far easier for her to move in the den. Already, Zephyr looked like she’d take _mostly_ after her Momma but seemed to be filling out a bit more without growing as long, more like her Mom’s lupine frame, but her siblings were a bit thicker in the torso. In contrast, the litter seemed to have frame more closely mimicking Winter’s, except with perhaps slightly longer necks, which would make it much easier for them to turn their heads and snap. She found this out, of course, but getting tiny teeth nipping into the tip of her nose when she tried pushing against the runt. _“Hey, now.”_

 _“I tried to warn you.”_ Her wife chuckled. _“A handful, and definitely an Ashe. Which makes you...”_ Her gaze fell on the middle one, tail shifting slightly. _“Akita.”_

 _“Akita?”_ She mulled it over for a moment, running through the list of names they’d considered before nodding. _“Yeah. I like it.”_ Just like with the others, she nosed the middle of the litter while being very careful to avoid Ashe for the moment. _“Do you hear that, Akita? You’ve got some interesting littermates. I bet your other siblings can’t wait to meet you.”_

Again, she yelped, putting one of her talons against Yang’s chin as a means of investigating.

 _“She’s a curious one.”_ With a sigh, Winter settled more firmly against her. _“Can you drag that bear closer? I likely won’t be moving for a while.”_

 _“Sure.”_ She even tore of a small piece and gave it to her wife, running her claws lightly through white fur and allowing her magic to flow, encouraging weary muscles to recover and heal. _“Thank you for this.”_

_“For what, exactly?”_

_“This,”_ she said, making a vague motion. _“Before I met you, I had the pack that adopted me, my sister, and my dad. I was probably one of the last dragons in Remnant and the only one anyone knew about in Vale.”_ Winter tilted her head slightly and, try as she might, she couldn’t quite keep the tears from her eyes as they fell over her scales. _“In a lot of ways, I’m still the last of my kind… but I’ve never had a bigger family. I have seven kids, and nieces and nephews, and in-laws, and- you’ve given me more than I dared to dream I could have. I love you so much, Snowdrift.”_

 _“Come here, you silly dragon.”_ She pushed her head close enough for Winter to nuzzle against her scales. _“The first chance I have, I’m shifting and kissing you until you can’t breath. All that we have, all that lays ahead of us- it’s only possible because of_ you _, Sundrop, and I can never put into words what that means to me.”_ Winter set her chin atop her nose, as close to looking each other in the eyes as they could manage in these forms. _“I love you, too, and there’s no way of putting into words how grateful I am for all you’ve given me.”_ Another grin. _“Even if giving birth was easily the most pain I’ve ever endured, I’d do it again without a second thought, as long as you’re beside me.”_

 _“Don’t threaten me with a good time,”_ she replied, chuckling softly but filing that thought in the back of her mind for later examination. While most might consider seven kids to be more than enough… well, she really wouldn’t mind another clutch. _“We really found something special, huh?”_

 _“Indeed we did.”_ Then, she winced. _“Ashe, please, you don’t need to_ bite _.”_

Although she couldn’t do much, Yang did her best to soothe her wife’s frustration as they watched over the litter together, slicing off meat whenever asked.

* * *

 

Days passed in a bit of a haze. The sun rising and setting didn’t matter- in the back of her mind, she hoped their children were behaving for their aunts, but aside from that, nothing beyond the den mattered.

Unlike the clutch, the litter had to mature a bit more before they would be able to make the journey back to the castle. Sure, Yang could scoop two up in her fore claws and Winter could carry one in her mouth, allowing them to return, but she could already tell that would be a bad idea. They were too small, too vulnerable, and it would make both of them too nervous about something going wrong, regardless of the short trip.

So, she remained curled around them, acting as a barrier between the curious little ones and the world beyond. Akita seemed the most interested in exploring, constantly on the move, while Allura seemed more interested in her immediate surroundings, at one point even climbing onto Winter’s hip. Ashe… well, she’d certainly learned how to _growl_ in the past few days and continued to snap at whatever got too close- including her siblings, which earned a short word of reprimand from Winter.

 _“Are you sure that’s not something we should be concerned about?”_ Her wife- her mate, her love- had a pinched expression and a frown that came through despite the lupine expression.

 _“Relatively,”_ she replied, lightly pushing Akita in a different direction so she wouldn’t try using her talons to dig into the dragon’s scales again. _“Dragons aren’t really social creatures. Maybe she got that gene.”_

_“You aren’t like that.”_

_“That’s because I’m one of a kind.”_ She tried her best to sound confident but, honestly, they were still learning together about the unique heritages their children possessed. Yang just hoped the little one’s grumpiness didn’t mean something was genuinely _wrong_ , though. _“Give it some time.”_

Apparently, their quiet conversation drew Ashe’s attention as well as Akita’s, the latter following the sound of their voices. Though they didn’t speak in a manner conventional to humans, for those who could understand it, it acted in a similar way. Of course, _understanding_ would take time, the little ones only capable of vocalizing vague sensations at present.

 _“Should we stop her?”_ Winter’s ears laid back. _“She’s getting very close to Ashe.”_

 _“Let’s see what happens.”_ Some part of her hoped this would be different than the last time but she prepared to intervene all the same.

As Akita moved closer to where they were resting their heads atop yang’s coils, she also came close to Ashe’s chosen spot- the only place she’d be aside from latched on for feeding. The little one immediately began to growl, sensing her space being encroached upon, but her sister didn’t seem to heed the warning, distracted by the new sound and being drawn to that instead. When she got close enough, Ashe snapped as usual and Akita dodged just in time… and then whined softly.

Yang nuzzled her mate’s cheek, sensing the tension building in her; the last thing she’d want was for any of their children to come to any harm, of course, but sometimes bonding meant being a little rougher than people anticipated.

Although their smallest child didn’t stop growling, Akita inched closer until she could poke her nose beneath her sister’s muzzle. That, somehow, mollified Ashe, her warning dying out gradually as she accepted Akita’s presence and shuffled closer. Allura, alerted to her sisters’ silence, began crawling over and eventually settled beside Ashe, giving the smallest pup a warm protective layer surrounding her.

_“See?”_

_“I’ll admit; I’m surprised. I didn’t think that would end well,”_ Winter said, her voice soft as she let out a sigh. _“I’m glad you found me.”_

 _“I know it’s hard to resist but, next time, at least howl to let me know you’re leaving?”_ A smile curled her lips. _“I can catch up to you a lot easier than I can track you.”_

_“... next time?”_

Almost instantly, Yang winced but tried her best to play it off. _“Well, I mean… hypothetically.”_

Her wife hummed, settling firmly against her and closing her eyes. _“Let’s see how the clutch and litter interact before we make any decisions on that front.”_

_“You’re worried they won’t play well with each other?”_

Curiosity motivated the question more than anything. Among the pack, it sometimes felt like she had _too many_ siblings, but she loved each of them dearly, even if she always held Ruby in higher regard due to their shared blood. That didn’t stop her from traveling and seeking her own adventures, of course, but she remembered keenly the tension that ran deep through the castle when she first arrived and how the now disgraced Prince Whitley fled rather than face his sisters. Family… had a different meaning to the Schnees, and while they seemed more intent on fostering close ties with an abundance of loving affirmations in their own families, Yang had the distinct impression there existed a bit of… overcompensation, if she read the look in Willow’s eyes correctly when she watched her children and grandchildren interact.

 _“To an extent.”_ She moved her head, licking at the underside of the dragon’s jaw- a subconscious reassurance she probably didn’t even notice. Recovering from both the pregnancy and birth left werewolves a bit more depleted than either side of their heritage and she’d gotten hardly any sleep due to Ashe’s tendency to use her fangs more than she needed. _“I don’t want any of them thinking… that they aren’t enough.”_

 _“Okay.”_ Yang pretended to understand for the moment- perhaps when her wife was a bit more lucid, she could get some clarification- and opened her mouth to let a blast of hot air wash over them. The warmth eased everyone into a light slumber and she allowed her own eyes to close, lightly dozing for the time being.

* * *

 

Yang reared back on her hindlegs and let loose another blast of fire into the sky as the sun began to rise over the distant mountains. Just a few hours ago, Allura opened her eyes for the first time- a bright shade of blue that shone even in the dark predawn- and her sisters no doubt would follow soon, which meant they would begin exploring the opening of the den. For the first time in days, Winter had both the strength and time to get up and pad around, stretching out her muscles and shaking the dirt from her fur, and repositioned herself near the mouth in preparation for the litter’s first steps into the morning light. It fell to her, then, to check the area around the den and ensure no threats had crept close in the meantime.

Taking to the air might make the task a bit easier but she wouldn’t dare worry those back at the castle, instead crawling through the forest on her belly and trying to sniff out _anything_ that might pose any sort of danger to the little ones. She didn’t find anything, of course, but went out much farther than she absolutely had to just for her peace of mind. Along the way, she came across a few hunters’ traps and undid them, making a mental note that she should set them up again before leaving but not _too_ concerned on that front. Feeding her wife had taken the majority of the game from this particular area of the forest; if anything, she might need to let Weiss know when they returned to send royal provisions to those who depended on the forest for sustenance.

By the time she returned to the den, Yang had a soft smile on her lips as Allura cautiously sniffed at the ground just beyond the mouth, Akita already out in the daylight and lightly digging her claws into the dirt. Ashe watched her sisters from just beside Winter’s paw, a furrow to her brow as she lowly growled. Fondly rolling her eyes, she went over and laid down in the grass a few feet away from them, allowing herself to completely relax.

 _“We’ll have to keep an eye on Akita,”_ she said as the very dragonwolf she mentioned immediately came bounding over, trying to lick at her scales and figure out why they had a different texture than her own fur. _“She’s fearless.”_

 _“I believe that’s a good thing,”_ Winter replied, bending her head down to nose at their youngest, who reluctantly padded out into the sunlight. _“Though it should be tempered.”_

At the sound of claws on metal, Yang looked over to see their daughter investigating her prosthetic with significant interest- while she likely could understand that her yellow scales were just bigger versions of the scales she and her sisters had, the appendage constituted a unique texture she couldn’t find elsewhere, at least not at present. The clutch reacted similarly when they noticed, after the fanfare of being passed and praised between their parents, grandparents, and extended family passed. Once, she might’ve drawn back in fear or shame, but after three years of their children treating it as no different from her other arm regardless of which form she took, Yang found herself smirking and watching Akita’s confusion with more than a little amusement.

A chuckle rumbled from her chest when the dragonwolf inevitably tried biting into it, met with the same amount of success as all her previous attempts against scales encountered. _“You’ll have to grow much bigger before you can put a dent in that.”_

For a moment, Akita’s ears drooped, as if genuinely disappointed by this fact of life, but she perked up quickly when she realized she could use her claws to find purchase and climb atop the prosthetic, which meant she could _also_ get onto Yang’s back. As previously undiscovered territory, this seemed to mollify her rather well for the moment. It also drew Allura’s attention.

This seemed to be one of the things both the clutch and litter shared: they rather enjoyed using their parents as something of a playground. It was easier for the wolfdragons, what with their wings, but that didn’t stop their siblings and it would only be a matter of time until they started trying to bite either her ears or tail.

Well, except for Ashe, who watched her sisters with her ears pinned back.

_“Was she like that the whole time I was gone, too?”_

_“Well… she wasn’t markedly more sociable but she wasn’t growling quite as much.”_ Yang hummed, carefully inching herself closer while not disrupting the little ones on her back. Once her head was about a foot away, she stopped and closed her eyes. _“What are you doing?”_

 _“Taking a nap in the sun.”_ One eye cracked open, her lips curling into a grin. _“Trust me.”_

Without another word, Winter padded closer, at first resting her head atop the dragon’s snout before climbing onto her back herself and stretching out in the space along her spine between her wings. Akita and Allura were content to play along her tail and hips, particularly interested in nipping at the scales she’d likely be shedding soon. They managed to pull a few out, causing her to wince only slightly. It was akin to plucking an eyebrow so it didn’t bother her too much.

Lightly, she dozed, aware of her daughters’ movements- including the one slowly approaching her chin. Sometimes- _very_ rarely- the clutch acted the same way, especially once they reached about two years old. From what she gathered from Dad, young dragons usually didn’t have direct supervision the way many young creatures did. An adult dragon might be in the area as a silent guardian but the hatchling often felt alone in the world and regarded anything bigger than it as a threat, _especially_ other dragons. The initial instinct was to hide but, as they grew bigger, they also tended to be inclined towards a fight- even a losing one. However, the wolf part of them constantly insisted they had nothing to fear from the pack- to which Yang obviously belonged, by scent if nothing else- and that seemed to hold more sway than their inclination to shy away or combat a full grown dragon.

Ashe obviously found herself predisposed to an aggressive response at the presence of a dragon. It would take some time before she acclimated to the other side of her heritage insisting Yang wasn’t a threat. She didn’t take it personally, of course; part of the reason she’d been raised by the pack was her own… well, proclivity towards aggression herself as a young dragon. At the very least, her mate didn’t seem to provoke the response nearly as much, so their daughter wouldn’t be left entirely alone.

Today, it seemed like the closest they’d get was Ashe curling up in the shadow cast by her head.

* * *

 

Akita and Allura pounced at each other, playing as pups often did, while Ashe watched closely for her chance to gain the upperhand. Although the three of them had grown considerably, she remained the runt of the litter and needed to outwit her opponents rather than rely on strength or size, but the amount of times she’d managed to pin her sisters proved that she had a keen mind. Winter liked to say she obviously took more often Yang for that reason.

 _“Are you sure they’re old enough?”_ Her wife lightly nose at her chin as they sat outside of the den, watching their children play. _“We waited longer last time.”_

 _“It’s kinda guess work on my part but I think they’re old enough.”_ Yang chuckled lightly. _“We could’ve done it earlier last time but we played it safe. I don’t think we need to do that this go around.”_

 _“I trust your instincts on this.”_ A sigh slipped out, quite nearly a whine. _“I just… I don’t want to do anything_ wrong _. I want… so much for them.”_

 _“And you’ll give them that. You’re a wonderful mother, Snowdrift.”_ Yang drew in a deep breath. _“Here, I’ll go first. Then, we’ll at least know how they’ll react.”_

Winter licked at her cheek. _“I’ll follow your lead.”_

With that, she began to shift, assuming her human form. Spending the past few days lounging in the sun as a dragon had recharged her innate magic, so she’d be able to hold the form for weeks without feeling the need to switch, though she likely wouldn’t. This was more to test how the litter would react to their human forms rather than to prepare them for the trek back to the castle.

As she suspected, all play stopped the moment she became human, the three dragonwolves watching her with curiosity and a bit of fear. Now, her scent had changed, mainly because dragons assumed other forms for the purposes of blending in, and their magic amended everything about them accordingly. However, she also still smelled like ‘Momma’ to the little ones, and Akita was the first to approach her cautiously, ears and tail up. With a soft smile, Yang knelt down and spread her arms, waiting patiently for her daughter. After determining that she was still, in fact, Momma, the dragonwolf perked up and pounced into her chest, licking at the underside of her jaw.

She couldn’t help but laugh, gathering up Akita in her arms to try and lightly discourage her claws from digging _too_ deep. Thankfully, she always wore her enchanted light armor, more out of habit than anything. It proved surprisingly helpful, especially when dealing with a clutch of kids who didn’t quite understand how sharp their claws were. “That’s my girl.”

Confident in her sister’s judgment, Allura bounded over, quite nearly bowling her over in the process, but she managed to wrap an arm around her as well, running her fingers through their fur and her nails across their scales. Then, much to her surprise, Ashe padded over, still a little wary but decidedly less so than before as she sniffed at her. That prompted a raised brow before she started laughing, _finally_ putting two and two together.

_“What is it?”_

“I was too big before.” She turned her head, offering a little smirk. “Now, compared to you, _I’m_ the runt.”

_“Oh. Well. Should I-”_

“Hey, I’ve only got two hands here.” Yang laughed, trying her best to give their daughters attention as Ashe proceeded to climb into her lap. “I could use a little help!”

 _“I’m all too happy to provide assistance.”_ With a moment to focus, her wife reverted to her human form as well, though with a mild pinch to her brow and a hiss. “Ah. This is… different.”

“I know you’ve been in your wolf form for months but it isn’t _that_ strange being human again, is it?” She watched, noticing a moment too late at where the tension in her frame sat and the idle rubbing she did to try assuaging that.

“It’s more that I forgot I’m rather full of milk at present.” She indicated the tightness in her shirt and vest, both of which looking far more snug than usual. Absently, Yang felt a bit relieved she’d _finally_ gotten her love to agree to wearing enchanted clothing as well, even if it wasn’t exactly comfortable at the moment. “Could you stand up for a moment?”

“Sure.” Yang got to her feet, expecting to help loosen some fastening that might make her vest and shit a bit more comfortable. Instead, she found herself pulled into a tight embrace as lips met hers. She fell into the kiss, her knees going weak. Although unabashed affection certainly hadn’t been lacking in their relationship since Winter got pregnant, it usually wasn’t in _this_ form. When the kiss finally broke, she gasped, trying to catch her breath. “What was-”

“I told you I’d kiss you breathless,” her wife replied, a wolfish smile on her lips. “It’s not a promise I’d forget easily.”

She couldn’t help but smile back, wrapping her arms around Winter and relishing the closeness for a moment. But then, paws were pressing against her thigh and they both knelt down to familiarize their daughters with these alternate forms. Even Ashe got in on the affection, markedly less suspicious of them now that they were closer to her size. The three of them didn’t quite understand that their fangs were markedly more dangerous now than before- and all explanations in that vein seemed to fall on deaf ears- so they resolved to keep the litter under close supervision whenever they interacted with their cousins.

When the dragonwolves finally tuckered themselves out, Yang and Winter laid down beside each other, their youngest children stretched out around them as the stars twinkled overhead.

“Sundrop?” She looked over at Winter- her love, her mate, her wife- and saw those blue gold eyes shining. “Are you really interesting in doing this again?”

Pretending to mull it over, Yang returned her gaze to the sky. Honestly, she’d made her decision long ago, regardless if she’d only started following through with that somewhat recently. A big, happy family- a pack of her own, consisting of whoever she chose to keep close to her heart.

“Yeah.” Shifting her attention again, she met Winter’s curious look with a soft smile. “I’d like at least one more pregnancy. A clutch or a litter, that doesn’t matter as much to me, but another round of this… yeah, I’d like that.” Reaching over, she put a hand to her wife’s cheek, lightly rubbing a thumb over her cheek. “But I thought you didn’t want to talk about that until we brought them back to the castle.”

“Though I’m loathe to admit it, that was mostly anxiety talking.” Her gaze shifted to Ashe, curled up near their heads. “They were so small compared to the clutch, so vulnerable.” A short chuckle burst through her lips. “It’s funny, I suppose. I remember when Weiss and Whitley were just… tiny, and it was my job to protect them. They didn’t have scales or fangs but… all I see are these little, precious gifts, and I’m terrified of failing them.”

“You haven’t done that yet.” Rolling onto her side, she shuffled closer, curling into her wife who returned the embrace. “I know it’s scary but… we’ll be there for them. We can’t protect them from everything but we can sure as hell try.”

“Language,” Winter said softly, though she didn’t have much chiding in her tone. “I still think we should see how they interact before we make a final decision.”

“We’ve got plenty of time.” Yang nuzzled further into her embrace. “I’m not going anywhere, Snowdrift. You?”

“Of course not.” She hummed. “Although… perhaps a trip to Vale might be prudent. I’d like to see the look on the Elders’ faces when they see the litter.”

A smile curled her lips at how _proud_ Winter sounded then. Her mate obviously didn’t hold the Elders in nearly so high a regard as she did but felt the need to gloat a little bit. Werewolves could be ridiculously proud sometimes and she loved how that came out in her love.

They slept outside of the den that night in their human forms, though Winter had to change in the early morning hours when the dragonwolves got hungry. When Yang resumed her dragon form, Ashe didn’t start growling and climbed onto her back just like her sisters, allowing them to doze for a few more hours before sunrise proper.

* * *

 

The wind blew through the trees lightly as Yang reared onto her back legs, looking down at Winter. _“You’re sure?”_

 _“Yes. It’s time.”_ She lowered her head, nosing at Allura to encourage her forward. _“They need to meet the rest of their family.”_

 _“Okay.”_ Looking towards the sky, she sent another burst of flame arcing into the air before lowering herself down to the ground.

However, she paused from what she was about to say as the dragonwolves reared onto their own back legs- which was considerably harder for them to keep their balance without the benefit of a rigid dragon’s tail- and opened their mouths. For Allura and Akita, weak spurts of flames came out, perhaps just enough to nicely char some meat but not cook it. Ashe, on the other hand, let out a legitimate fireball that forced Yang to jerk her head to the side to dodge it. Thankfully, it sputtered out before hitting anything, but she still found herself more than a little impressed.

 _“If I wasn’t sure before, I certainly am now.”_ Winter chuckled, lowering her head again to lightly praise the little ones with a few firm licks. _“That was very good but try not to do that around others. Someone could get hurt.”_

Lightly, she could feel their agreements touch her mind- not quite the language of werewolves but the building blocks for it. They were learning how to communicate about the same time as their siblings which boded well; unlike human children, werewolf pups and young dragons developed a bit quicker due to necessity. They were too vulnerable against most threats and the latter didn’t have near as much protection as the former would find in their packs, so communicating important survival concepts became an integral part of their first few years.

While their safety wasn’t a concern within the castle walls- or Atlas at large- the safety of _others_ happened to rank pretty high on the list, so that’s where Winter and Yang focused their energy.

 _“Your sisters and brother will love to see it, though,”_ she said, tucking her wings in tight to her body. _“Ready to go?”_

They’d debated the night before how best to tackle the trek back to the castle. Ultimately, they decided to let their kids go as far as they could on their own, then carry them as long as they would allow, switching between the two methods until they returned. Not only would it introduce the dragonwolves to the scale of the world that awaited them but it would hopefully make them a bit too tired to cause any trouble- which seemed especially important now that they could breathe fire.

 _“Come along.”_ Winter started padding towards the river, intending to follow its winding path until they found an area shallow enough for them to safely cross. They’d been eying the water for days now and it fell to Yang to ensure they didn’t stray too close until the crossing while her mate led the way.

While she’d enjoyed the time they’d spent at the den- just over two weeks now- being away from their other kids made her long for home. No doubt Ruby would be ecstatic about the litter and Dad probably arrived in Atlas while they were away. Weiss and Blake would likely be excited to see them as well, not only to meet their nieces but to be relieved of their Aunt duties for a while. Maybe they could offer to watch the royal children for a bit so her sisters-in-law could have some time to themselves.

Her mind wandered as they walked through the forest, what wildlife inhabited it steering clear of the procession. All would return to normal in time but she found herself almost missing the den. When she first came to Atlas, she expected to spend days or even week tracking whatever creature had called her into the cold kingdom, but she only spent a handful of nights. She’d actually spent more time in the forest _after_ returning that during her initial visit.

Really, she couldn’t be happier about that detail.

* * *

 

Yang curled her tail around their daughters, watching her wife manipulate the lever to open the door to the castle’s back room. They’d eventually have to section the room off, provide sturdy stone walled rooms for their children to claim as their own, but for now they all slept more or less together and would likely continue that trend with the litter. However, they had little idea of what to expect as the door swung open, so better to play it safe and hide the dragonwolves from view for the moment.

Her lips curled as their entire family seemed to be awaiting them; either word spread through the castle quickly the moment they emerged from the forest or everyone simply opted to gather in the back room while waiting for them to return. In the end, it didn’t matter, because every expression lit up upon seeing them, and their children rushed forward in their wolfdragon forms.

_“Mom! Momma!”_

_“You’re back!”_

_“We’ve been good, Momma, really!”_

_“Mom, Mom!”_

The four of them began bounding around Winter, jumping onto her back with the aid of their wings or pushing against her legs, then trying to approach Yang.

 _“Hold on,”_ she said, lowering her head to the ground. The little ones were confused and a little anxious, hearing voices they didn’t recognize along with so many new scents. While everyone else likely smelled akin to family, it would take them some time to become as familiar as their parents. _“Remember what we talked about before I left? Your new sisters are small and they need you to be careful.”_

That brought their four eldest to an immediate halt, Zephyr and Zise halfway to Yang while Zajah laid across Winter’s back and Zach had his paws up on one of her hind legs. All eyes were on the dragon’s tail, though, as she slowly moved it aside to reveal the litter, three eyes widening as they took note of their larger siblings. Tails tucked between their legs, their heads lowering as their ears laid back, and all but Ashe seemed more than a little intimidated; it was one thing for their parents to be bigger but quite another for ones they instinctively knew to be litter-mates to be so different.

Ultimately, it was Zach who realized what had to be done, lowering himself to the ground and crawling just a little bit further forward before rolling onto his back. Now less of a threat, Allura, Akita, and Ashe padded a little closer, curious but cautious. But when he popped his mouth open and lolled his tongue out, looking absolutely _ridiculous_ in an endearing way, it seemed to communicate his intent well enough; he just wanted to play, and his three youngest sisters _absolutely_ loved playing.

 _“Go on.”_ She encouraged, lightly nosing Allura forward. _“Go meet your brother.”_

A few seconds of the unknown before Ashe barreled forward, jumping onto Zach’s stomach and lifting her muzzle. At first, it looked like she might howl, but instead a burst of flame shot from her mouth, and _that_ got the full attention of Zephyr, Zise, and Zajah.

_“You can breathe fire!”_

_“Just like us!”_

_“Yes, Ashe can, and so can Allura and Akita.”_ Winter padded closer, sitting on her haunches to lightly force Zajah into getting closer to her sisters. _“They’re still learning, though.”_

 _“That’s okay!”_ Zise puffed up her chest. _“We’re good teachers!”_

Yang watched as Allura and Akita finally summoned the courage to join their sister’s dogpile on their brother, and Zephyr, Zise, and Zajah came close enough for them to lightly bump muzzle and begin learning about each other. Now convinced that no harm would come to them, the litter’s tails began to wag, a clear sign that they were at ease surrounded by the rest of their family, though they still had plenty more to meet.

“Oh my- they’re just as cute as the wolfdragons!” Ruby squealed, running over and kneeling down, startling Ashe, Akita, and Allura initially before they were silently encouraged to meet their Aunt by the rest of their siblings. Silver eyes shone with happiness as she began petting them, showing the newest additions to their pack with affection. “Hey, there! My name’s Ruby and I’m going to be the _best_ Aunt, I promise!”

“Excuse you, I’d like to argue you’ll be tied for _that_ particular title,” Weiss said, approaching with her own children in tow while Blake smiled fondly from beside her.

 _“Where’s Dad?”_ Yang cast a gaze around, noting both Guild Master James and Healer Goodwitch were present, approaching just a step behind Willow. This slow, staggered method of introducing the litter was decided shortly after they realized Winter had become pregnant and she was glad to see no one had forgotten.

“He just stepped out; said something about gathering up… chew toys of some sort.” Willow knelt down beside Ruby, almost immediately drawing Ashe’s attention as a fond smile curled her lips. “I’m afraid I’m not in the running for best grandparent but I can assure you I’m getting better.”

Carefully picking up the smallest of her grandchildren, Willow chuckled lightly when Ashe almost immediately tried to bat or bite her earrings. Allura seemed more interested in sniffing at their cousins, investigating Grace first, seeing as she was obviously the eldest, and Zephyr watched from close by with more than a little interest. Idly, Yang wondered how it looked to their eldest daughter, being the first to hatch from their first clutch, and if that might cause some friction later down the line as both Zephyr and Allura would likely see themselves as the ‘eldest’ and thus responsible for their siblings. There wouldn’t be as big a difference when compared to Grace’s experiences.

“So, these are dragonwolves, correct?” James waited for a moment before joining the others, sitting cross legged as Akita almost immediately crawled into his lap and started trying to bite at the golden epaulettes on his shoulders.

 _“Yes, as opposed to the clutch being ‘wolfdragons’,”_ Winter said, lying down and watching as their children became familiar with the rest of their family. _“We’ve yet to determine a term for them collectively, though.”_

 _“About that… I’ve been thinking, maybe we should call them drakes?”_ She offered with a slight shrug, shifting into her human form so she could provide a deft touch in the event something happened. While her mate couldn’t switch as easily- and likely wouldn’t be able to until the litter moved to solid food exclusively- she had a bit more flexibility, especially since Ashe had stopped reacting so negatively to her. Strangely, she didn’t seem intimidated by any member of their pack now, almost as if the majority of her reaction came from Yang’s pure dragon blood and appearance. “I know it means something else but it kinda works?”

_“What does it mean?”_

“Drakes are a different sort of dragons that inhabit the dragonlands. They’re related distantly but comprise two distinct lineages,” Dad said as he came striding over to them, having entered the room silently while carrying an armful of bones. During their time at the den, Winter’s appetite demanded a bit too much for scraps to be left over, so the bones were a new and welcomed experience for the litter as he joined the rest of them, handing off nice, large ones for the dragonwolves to start, their fangs making the smaller ones perhaps a bit too dangerous as he set them aside. “They’re wingless dragons, in essence, and carry a much smaller amount of magic innately, but their hides are tough.”

“None have ever crossed into Remnant, though, so most people have never heard of them.” Yang explained, moving her hair over her shoulder and allowing Zajah to climb onto her back. “Calling them drakes means they’d still retain the close relationship to dragons while being distinctly different.”

“That could work!” Ruby laughed as Allura started nosing at her jaw. “I’m kinda amazed at how different their drake forms look, but the clutch have… mostly similar human forms.”

She could feel Zajah ducking her head slightly and reached back to comfort her daughter. “It is kinda weird but my dragon form doesn’t look anything like Raven’s, right Dad?”

Belatedly, she realized she probably shouldn’t have said that, as it instantly garnered her children’s attention while Zephyr put forth the question seven sets of eyes posed. _“Who’s that?”_

“Well, she’s… my mother.” Her expression fell slightly. “I never met her but she’s a dragon, like me.”

“She was, and you… do and don’t look like her. It’s… hard to describe.” Dad smiled sadly, shaking himself a moment later. “Let’s not dwell on that. Each one of you is beautiful and I’m the luckiest Grandad in the world.”

Yang let out a short sigh, glad when the subject seemed to drop as Weiss immediately began fawning over Akita, which drew Allura and Ashe to her. Absently, she became aware of her wife shuffling up beside her, setting her chin in the dragon’s lap, and her fingers carded through the soft white fur between atop her head. It helped soothe her.

_“Talk later?”_

“Yeah,” she replied, looking down and chuckling. “I’m fine, really. Just… something that never really healed.”

 _“I understand. Rest assured, the apple couldn’t have fallen further from the tree; you’re a wonderful mother to our children. And an exceptional Aunt.”_ Winter grinned. _“I love you, Sundrop.”_

“I love you, too, Snowdrift.” The melancholy that threatened to pull her into dark thoughts retreated to the back of her mind as she watched their three youngest daughters become even more familiar with their extended family, their pack. Then, she lowered her voice. “So, about doing this again-”

 _“My answer’s yes.”_ Zajah released her hold on Yang’s back to glide down to Winter’s, which would likely invite her siblings to try and see how many of them could fit on the werewolf’s back. _“A large, loving family… is certainly one of the things I am most thankful for, and I’m partial to the idea of making it bigger.”_

“Glad we’re on the same page.”

Ashe seemed to be the first to notice where Zajah had staked her claim, squirming out of Willow’s hold to climb onto Mom’s back, which drew everyone else’s attention. As it turned out, all seven of their kids managed to fit, though it required them to use each other as pillows. Yang laughed at the bemused but ultimately adoring look on her mate’s face, giving the tip of her nose a kiss before answering her sister’s questions regarding the dragonwolves’ development.

Just like the last time, contentment filled Yang’s chest, surrounded by her family and pack, whom she adored and treasured more than words could say.


End file.
